title: Effectiveness of adaptive servo-ventilation for treating heart failure regardless of the severity of sleep-disordered breathing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is unclear whether adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) is effective for all patients with heart failure (HF). The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the effectiveness of ASV for all patients with HF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-one patients with HF were recommended for ASV treatment, regardless of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) severity and type. On the basis of the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) results, patients were classified into 3 groups: 28 patients with AHI ≥ 40/h were designated as group A; 20 patients with AHI ≥ 20/h and <40/h were designated as group B; and 13 patients with AHI < 20/h were designated as group C. After ASV treatment, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were improved almost equally in the 3 groups (changes in BNP level: group A, -313 ± 480 pg/ml; group B, -401 ± 801 pg/ml; group C, -225 ± 240 pg/ml; P = 0.69; changes in LVEF: group A, 8.5 ± 11.3%; group B, 10.5 ± 9.6%; group C, 2.4 ± 12.4%; P = 0.17).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ASV treatment for patients with mild SDB resulted in almost equal improvements in BNP levels and LVEF compared to that in patients with moderate and severe SDB, demonstrating that ASV is effective for all patients with HF.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Isesaki Municipal Hospital, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Noriaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takama
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurabayashi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D019370:Observation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000592:standards*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000628:therapy*; D013318:Stroke Volume; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain